Insomnia
by monsterintheballroom
Summary: Cora makes an interesting discovery when Isobel has to spend the night at Downton... A little bit of fluff & smut. Has nothing to do with the events of " How did we end up here?"
1. Chapter 1

Silence has filled the house after everyone went to bed. Everyone but Isobel, who stands by the window and looks out into the cold dark night. The snow has turned the meagre landscape around the house into a beautiful winter dream within a couple of hours.  
The silence in her room is only disturbed by the cracking of the fire in the fireplace and the ticking of the clock on the mantle piece. Isobel doesn´t turn around when she hears the door behind her opening and closing. She doesn´t turn around when arms are wrapping around her waist. She doesn´t turn around when she feels Elsie´s warm body against hers. Both women have been longing for this the whole evening and they don´t want to ruin this moment with talking. They just stand there for a while and watch the snow fall. Both are determined to enjoy every moment of this special night. Savouring the gift that has been given to them tonight.  
"I´ve been waiting for this since her Ladyship told me that you are staying," Elsie says into the silence, kissing Isobel´s temple. They have been lucky that nobody had paid any attention to the glances they have exchanged while Cora was going with Elsie through the sleeping arrangements. "Actually, I´ve been wishing for this since I saw how heavy the snow became during the day. That it would block the roads and you have to stay."  
"What else is on your wish list?" Isobel turns around and is surprised that Elsie is wearing a robe and not her usual dress. "Oh, what is this? Is this the new housekeeper uniform?"  
Elsie nods. "But I only wear it on special occasions."  
"And I assume that this is one?" A rhetorical question, because for obvious reasons they can never be together during the night. It would raise too many questions if someone would find out. Questions, they could never answer without giving themselves away.  
Isobel has opened Elsie´s bathrobe by now. "Is this the nightgown we´ve bought in Ripon? Do you remember the saleswoman, who went on and on how much your husband will like you in this?" Both giggle.  
"That poor woman had absolutely no clue. She didn´t even notice that I don´t wear a ring."  
"Yes, but I have to admit that I rather enjoyed this little scene. And to tell you the truth," Isobel´s finger runs over Elsie´s cleavage. "I always tried to imagine how you would look in this nightgown." Her hands are running up Elsie´s arms to her shoulders.  
"And?" comes the shy question.  
Isobel strips Elsie´s robe off her shoulders and lets it fall on the floor. The slightly cooler air, that has hit Elsie´s warm skin and the tender touches of Isobel´s fingertips made her shiver.  
"Well, I can only speak for myself and not for your husband," Isobel grins, resting her forehead against Elsie´s. "But every time when I´ll look back to this night, I will remember how beautiful you looked. You look perfect to me, my darling," Isobel says, caressing her cheek. They kiss.  
"But what about you?" Elsie steps away. "Do you always have a nightgown in your purse in case you have to stay overnight?"  
"Cousin Cora gave it to me. I know, that she´s slimmer than me but I never expected her to be that slim. It´s a bit tight here and there. So maybe a nightgown in my purse isn´t such a bad idea for next time." Isobel smoothes her nightgown and looks at Elsie, whose eyes are slowly wandering over her body. This isn´t the first time Elsie is doing this, but for some reason it makes her blush this time.  
Elsie steps forward again. "Do you actually know how often I have dreamed about this? Just you and me together in one of these rooms?"  
"You weren´t the only one."  
They kiss again and soon their nightgowns are joining Elsie´s robe on the floor.

 _At the same time on the other end of the corridor_

For the hundreds of times Cora looks at the clock on her nightstand but the hands don´t seem to move. Cora rolls back and stares at the ceiling again. It´s the third night in row, that she has troubles to find sleep. She is reaching out for the space beside her but all her hand can find is the cool fabric of the untouched blanket. It´s the third night in row, that Robert isn´t sleeping beside her. No matter how often she´s told him that Mr Bricker came uninvited into her room, he simply refused to believe her. She doesn´t know what else to do, how could she prove him that his suspicions are unfounded? Cora sighs and gets out of bed. She stands by the fireplace and pokes listless in the glow of the dying fire. She puts the poker aside and looks back to her empty and cold bed that is waiting for her. Instead of going back to bed, she puts on her robe and leaves the room. A glass of milk has always helped her as a child when she couldn´t sleep or had a nightmare. Cora doubts that this will bring Robert back into her bed, but everything is better than laying awake the whole night and cudgel her brain.  
On her way to the kitchen Cora has to pass Isobel´s room and just when she has passed it, she thinks that she´s heard a noise coming out of the room. Cora stops and listens. It did sound bit like a giggle to her. She makes one step back and leans a bit to the side. There it is again. Defintely a giggle and is Isobel speaking to someone? Just when Cora is about to eavesdrop at the door, the big grandfather clock in the hall chimes and makes her flinch. Cora exhales and continues her way down to the kitchen.

Twenty minutes later. After a huge glass of milk and a biscuit she has stolen out of Mrs Patmore´s pantry, Cora is on her way back to her room. She slows down her steps when she has reached Isobel´s room. Again she can hear noises coming out of the room and yes, Isobel is definitely talking to someone. She looks down the hall way before she leans at the door, feeling the cool surface of the door on her ear. She can only hear fragments of what they are saying. And what was this? Did... did someone moan? Surely not. But she is sure that the other person in the room is a woman. Cora wonders who this might be. Isobel is the only guest and who should visit her at this time of the night? Cora gets more and more curious. She grabs the handle of the door but hesitates. "I know this is wrong," she says and looks up at the ceiling ", but I´ll take just one tiny little glimpse and close the door immediately. I promise."  
Cora inhales and carefully opens the door, trying not to make any noises. After all she doesn´t know what is going on behind this door, but she never expected to see this. She freezes when she sees what has caused the noises she´s heard, her eyes widened. Isobel is leaning against the bedframe. Naked. Her right foot placed on the little bench that stands in front of the bed. And yes, there is no doubt that the other person in this room is a woman, because she is naked as well. One of her hands caress Isobel´s thigh, while the other one rests loosely on Isobel´s hip. Cora can´t see who the other woman is because she is whispering into Isobel´s ear, but something tells Cora that this isn´t the first encounter between these women, they seem to be very familiar with each other. Isobel laughs and wraps her arms around the other woman, pulling her closer.

After Cora has digested the first shock she leans forward. She has to narrow her eyes a bit because the fire in the fireplace is the only source of light in this room and casts clouds over both women. Cora gasps when the other woman looks at Isobel. "Mrs... Mrs Hughes?" and her hands fly to her open mouth. She steps away from the door into the shadow of the hallway, hoping that they haven´t heard her. When no reaction to her discovery follows and her heartbeat is back to normal, she dares to make a step forward again. Cora knows that she should shut the door and forget all about it, but she can´t. Her eyes are magically drawn to the scenery in front of her. By now the housekeeper´s hand has wandered from Isobel´s hip down between her legs. Isobel´s hands wander over Elsie´s back. Cora´s eyes are following their coordinated movements, leaving no doubt that this isn´t the first time are intimate with each other. A thought, Cora finds rather exciting when she lets it sink in. Isobel has closed her eyes and Cora can see that she is enjoying every second of Elsie´s touches. And so does Cora, if she would be honest with herself.  
Suddenly bewilderment is shown on Isobel´s face and she opens her eyes when Elsie makes a half step backwards. Before Isobel puts her foot back on the ground, Cora can see the swollen pink flesh between her legs. A heat wave hits Cora.  
"Not now, Isobel," Elsie says," we have the whole night."  
Isobel expression softened when she hears these words. "Say that again."  
"We have the whole night, mo leannan."  
"The whole night, my darling," Isobel repeats, smiling tenderly at her slightly younger lover.  
Cora hears every word and she sees Isobel´s look, which is full of desire and longing, love and trust for Elsie. And Cora is certain that the housekeeper is looking at her in the same way. A faint feeling of envy is rushing over her, when she thinks about how Robert used to look at her like this but that was a long time ago.  
Isobel leans forward and her wanting lips are meeting Elsie´s. Soft moans are filling the room when their tongues meet. A sound Cora has already heard earlier through the door. Cora´s eyes are following Isobel´s hands down to Elsie´s lower back. She can nearly feel how Isobel is pushing her knee between Elsie´s. The heat in her body that was about to fade away is rising again. Her own hand moves automatically over her thigh between her legs and she can feel the dampness between her legs through the fabric of her nightgown. Her hand moves shyly over the damp spot, slowly imitating the movements of Isobel´s leg. With every thrust of Isobel´s knee and with every arching of Elsie against Isobel´s leg, Cora can feel the dampness between her own legs growing and her hand gets more eager. Her heart starts beating a little faster. Her eyes are traveling upwards to Isobel´s mouth, following Isobel´s lips down to Elsie´s shoulder. The tip of Isobel´s tongue is brushing against Elsie´s flesh, drawing little circles. Isobel looks at Elsie when her hand disappears between their naked bodies. Cora can only guess by Elsie´s reaction what Isobel´s hand is doing to her. They kiss again. Cora´s mouth gets dry and she can hear the blood singing in her ears now, her hand still between her legs.  
"Iso... please..." is the only thing that Elsie is able to say when she ends the kiss.  
Cora wants to see Isobel´s face when she pleasures her lover. But when Cora looks at her face, she is staring right into Isobel´s eyes.

... to be continued... ?


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:**

 **It always bothered me that the original end didn´t really seem to fit to the sequel "The Observer" and didn´t really do justice to Cora´s character and I think this version does both.**

* * *

Cora feels as if a bucket of water has been emptied over her. Her heart is nearly bursting out of her chest. Isobel is still looking at her and Cora prays that the ground beneath her feet opens up and swallows her. Cora doesn´t dare to move, she hopes that Isobel actually can´t see her because of the dark corridor behind her. And until now Isobel hasn´t showed any reaction at all, but Cora´s hopes are crashed when Isobel sees Cora´s hand between her legs and arches her eyebrow.  
Cora hastily pulls it away. She would blush, but her whole body already feels like a single blush.  
Elsie is irritated that Isobel has slowed down her movements and looks at her.  
Finally Isobel reacts. "We have a spectator, Elsie."  
Cora holds her breath.  
"I beg your pardon," Elsie asks confused, thinking that she´s misheard Isobel, but Isobel still looks into Cora´s direction and Elsie follows her gaze. Elsie´s eyes widen only slightly and she looks back at Isobel, to reassure herself that they both see the same. Cora is a bit irritated by their calm reaction but at the same time extremely grateful that they don´t cause a scene. The whole situation is already embarrasing enough for her. But Cora can clearly see by their body language that she´s the only one who feels embarassment at this moment. Elsie turns around, facing her like Isobel. Fully exposing herself and Isobel to her, looking curiously at her.  
The shadows of the fire are dancing over their naked bodies and like moments before, Cora´s eyes are fascinated by this sight. They linger on Elsie´s full breasts and Isobel´s slender hips. Isobel puts one hand on Elsie´s shoulder and the other one on her belly, before she leans over and whispers something into her lover´s ear.  
Cora couldn´t hear what Isobel said to Elsie, but Elsie is looking at her with surprise. "Are you sure, Isobel?"  
"Yes, very sure."  
"So am I, " Elsie smiles at her and gives her a kiss. They both look back at Cora again. She sees their changed expression and without hesitation Cora steps from the cold corridor into the warm room, accepting their unsaid invitation.

Cora can see them waiting for her to make the first move. She takes off her bathrobe and shortens the distance between them. Elsie looks at Isobel before she leaves her arms and does the same. They are standing in front of each other. Cora´s gaze wanders over Elsie´s face as if she´s never seen her before and indeed has Cora the feeling that she sees the housekeeper for the first time this night. It has nothing to do with her nudity. No, it has something to do with her selfconfidence and grace she is showing. Cora can´t think of any other words which would better describe Elsie tonight.  
"Your Ladyship."  
"Mrs Hughes."  
Isobel, who is watching this scene, finds it rather odd that they address each other with their titles, but this is an unusual situation and clinging to the rules might ease the nervousness.  
Cora is closing her eyes when she sees Elsie is leaning forward, expecting to feel Elsie´s lips on hers. Cora doesn´t know what to do with her hands and is placing them on the housekeeper´s hips, feeling the warm skin under her cold hands. She slightly opens her mouth for Elsie, whose tongue is searching for hers. Cora can´t describe how this kiss feels like. It feels different to all the kisses she ever shared with Robert, she just knows that it feels good. The moment Elsie ends the kiss, Cora knows that she wants more of this.  
Isobel is watching from afar. Watching the woman she desires the most kissing another woman, seeing Cora´s hands on her bare skin. The heat she´s feeling right now is definitely not coming from the fire that is slowly burning down in the fireplace.  
Isobel looks at Cora and puts out her hand, not saying a word and Cora understands. She takes her hand and lets her guide to the bed.  
This time Elsie is staying behind. Watching her lover helping another woman out of her nightgown, watching how her lover´s eyes are traveling over every centimeter of naked skin in front of her.  
Cora´s first instinct was it to cover herself when she stands only dressed in her panty in front of Isobel. It´s not that she´s never been naked in front of another woman. O´Brien and Miss Baxter have seen her naked once or twice, but this feels so much different now. It´s a completely different kind of nudity and she can´t deny it, she is enjoying Isobel´s gaze.  
"Are you coming?"  
Cora slowly nods. When Isobel or Elsie have seen the slight hesitation in Cora´s reaction, then they don´t show it. Cora follows Isobel into the bed. Goosebumps are running over her body, when she feels Isobel´s body touching hers. This time it´s Cora who makes the first move. She wants to know how Isobel´s kisses taste and it is her who begs for entrance. Elsie can no longer watch this, she wants to be part of it. Moments later Cora can feel Elsie´s body behind her and her lips on her shoulder.  
Cora realize that she wants more of this. She wants to feel their skilled hands exploring her body. She wants to feel their soft lips, where Robert´s never have been... Robert. Her body goes rigid when she thinks about him and she abruptly ends the kiss. "Stop. I... I can´t do this." Cora sits up and wraps her arms around her knees. Isobel looks at Elsie, who is as surprised by Cora´s behaviour as she is. They sit up as well.  
"Cora? Is something the matter," Isobel wants to know.  
"I can´t do this. I shouldn´t do this."  
Cora´s thoughts are in a turmoil. Her mind is full of questions and they all center around Robert and how this night will influence their relationship. Cora suddenly got afraid of her own courage, when she noticed how much she enjoyed all of this. Will Robert notice somehow what happened this night? What if she never wants to be with Robert again?  
Isobel´s hand on her knee brings her back into reality. "Cora?"  
"I´m sorry. I can´t. I shouldn´t even be here. What was I thinking? I have made a complete fool out of myself." Cora climbs out of the bed and hastily puts her nightgown on.  
"Cora, please. We should at least talk about this," Isobel says, trying to calm her down and wants to get up but Cora has already reached the door.  
"No. I... I have made a mistake." Cora looks at the two women. "I... I´m sorry."  
Cora storms out of the room and leaves Isobel and Elsie clueless behind.  
"You think I should follow her?" Isobel looks at Elsie.  
"No, I think that would make it only worse. We should give her some time. But I agree, we should definitely talk about it. Maybe we or one us will have the chance to talk with her alone in a couple of days."  
"Yes, you are probably right." Isobel takes Elsie in her arms and together they lay down again.

Cora leans on the washbasin, water is dripping from her face. She looks at the mirror. "What have I done?" Cora is closing her eyes and images of Isobel and Elsie are immediately popping up. Cora thinks that she can still feel Elsie´s presence behind her and Isobel´s hands on her body. She has felt so secure in their arms. So desired. When Cora is honest with herself, does she have to admit, that she hasn´t felt like this in years.  
"How could this happen?" She opens her eyes again and her gaze falls on the reflection of her bed in the mirror. She sees the untouched side of her bed and her heart aches.  
Cora is splashing some water in her face, trying to push the images and feelings away. She looks at herself in the mirror, at the dark circles around her eyes that come from the lack of sleep during the last couple of days. "I do love Robert," she says confidently. "And what just happened has nothing to do with my feelings for him. It was just a moment of weakness. My love and feelings only belong to Robert. I´ve never desired someone else and never will. And I´ll do anything for getting Robert back." Cora nods defiant as if she wants to add authority to her words with this and shut out the tiny little voice in her head, that tries to question the truth of her words. Cora nods one last time at her reflection and goes back to bed, convinced that this night was just a one-off.

But only weeks later are Cora´s words and determination put to test.

The End


End file.
